Froyd v. State

Decision Date25 February 1982
Docket NumberNo. 13-81-290-CR,No. 2301,13-81-290-CR,2301
Citation628 S.W.2d 866
PartiesVirginia Beam FROYD, Appellant, v. The STATE of Texas, Appellee. No. (cr.)
CourtTexas Court of Appeals

Ken J. McLean, Houston, for appellant.

John B. Holmes, Jr., Dist. Atty., Houston, for appellee.

Before BISSETT, YOUNG and GONZALEZ, JJ.

OPINION

YOUNG, Justice.

Virginia Beam Froyd appeals from her jury conviction of aggravated robbery wherein the court assessed her punishment to sixteen years confinement in the Texas Department of Corrections. We reverse.

The appellant was represented by appointed counsel at her trial. Her attorney conferred with her on the case, but she apparently believed that his efforts on her behalf were inadequate. She prepared eighteen pre-trial motions, including a motion to dismiss her attorney from the case. The appellant did not attempt to file these motions until October 29, 1979, the date of the trial. By the time the motions were filed and brought to the attention of the trial court, it was too late to grant some of the requests. Appellant's counsel knew nothing of the motions before the trial date. While noting that some of the motions were groundless, the trial court clearly ruled on them.

One of the motions requested that the voir dire and final arguments be recorded. The motion reached the trial judge only after the voir dire had been conducted. The trial judge ruled that it was not timely filed, and, therefore, he could not grant it. The final arguments were not recorded.

In her first ground of error, appellant contends that failure to grant her request to record the final arguments was reversible error. The State maintains that because the motion was pro se and the appellant was represented by counsel, it would be necessary for us to hold she was entitled to hybrid representation to reverse on this ground of error.

Article 40.09 § 4, Tex.Code Crim.Proc.Ann. (Vernon Supp.1982) provides: "At the request of either party the court reporter shall take shorthand notes of all trial proceedings, including voir dire examination, objections to the court's charge, and final arguments." Once such a request is made, it becomes mandatory. Cartwright v. State, 527 S.W.2d 535 (Tex.Cr.App.1975), and failure to grant it requires reversal even in the absence of a showing of harm. Gamble v. State, 590 S.W.2d 507 (Tex.Cr.App.1979); Cartwright v. State, supra. Thus, if we find that the motion was properly before the trial court, reversal is required.

While a criminal defendant is entitled to the assistance of counsel, Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335, 83 S.Ct. 792, 9 L.Ed.2d 799 (1963), he may waive counsel and represent himself. Faretta v. California, 422 U.S. 806, 95 S.Ct. 2525, 45 L.Ed.2d 562 (1975). He has no right in Texas to conduct his defense...

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6 cases
  • Hazelwood v. State, 13-91-456-CR
    • United States
    • Texas Court of Appeals
    • July 30, 1992
    ...1988, pet ref'd); Busselman v. State, 713 S.W.2d 711, 714 (Tex.App.--Houston [1st Dist.] 1986, no pet.); Froyd v. State, 628 S.W.2d 866, 867 (Tex.App.--Corpus Christi 1982), remanded on other grounds, 633 S.W.2d 884 (Tex.Crim.App.1982). However, a patient trial judge may allow both counsel ......
  • Meyer v. State
    • United States
    • Texas Court of Appeals
    • August 30, 2000
    ...could not be required to do so, an erroneous denial of the motion may require that the conviction be reversed. Froyd v. State, 628 S.W.2d 866, 867 (Tex. App.--Corpus Christi 1982), remanded without reference to the merits, 633 S.W.2d 884 (Tex. Crim. App. 1982), on remand, 654 S.W.2d 19 (Tex......
  • Robinson v. State
    • United States
    • Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
    • November 21, 2007
    ...(emphasis in original). 6. 27 S.W.3d 644 (Tex.App.-Waco 2000). 7. Id., at 648 (emphasis in original); See also Froyd v. State, 628 S.W.2d 866, 867 (Tex.App.-Corpus Christi 1982). 8. Meyer, 27 S.W.3d, at 1. TEX.R.APP. P. 44.4 (remand permitted to remedy "erroneous action or failure or refusa......
  • Froyd v. State
    • United States
    • Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
    • June 2, 1982
    ...court overruled the appellant's pro se motion to require the court reporter to record final arguments of counsel. Froyd v. State, 628 S.W.2d 866 (Tex.App.-Corpus Christi, 1982). The appellant has filed a petition for discretionary review complaining that the evidence is insufficient to supp......
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